For Geelong, Friday night’s clash with Melbourne in Alice Springs brought more than just victory.

Promising performances from the Cats’ ruck division should have the team confident of covering Nathan Vardy’s loss.

Hamish McIntosh, Dawson Simpson and Mitch Brown all took to the field on Friday looking fit and ready for the season ahead.

The three have themselves endured wretched luck with injuries in recent years. McIntosh hasn’t played since May 2012, while Simpson has managed just 11 games in four years and Brown 10 games in three seasons.

Together, their efforts mark an important development for Geelong with gifted ruck-forward Vardy relegated to the sidelines for the season. Friday’s game has thus bolstered hopes in the talented but luckless ruck division.

McIntosh and Simpson shouldered the bulk of the ruck work with McIntosh carefully managed in his long-awaited debut for the Cats. He looked sharp in his limited time on the ground, out-pointing Melbourne’s Jake Spencer in some early stoppages.

Simpson meanwhile moved well, gathering 12 disposals and winning 21 hit-outs.

Brown showed his mettle up forward with three straight goals thanks to some impressive lead-up marking. His display puts him in good stead to fill a similar role to that of Vardy.

Speaking after the game, Geelong coach Chris Scott addressed the likely approach towards managing McIntosh and Simpson in the year ahead given their injury histories.

"There's some chance that we'll take the two of them in, but that's not the probability at this stage," Scott said.

The coach also applauded Brown’s performance and versatility, affirming his standing within the team’s best 22.

Even without Vardy, ruck spots at Geelong appear to be hotly contested. McIntosh, Simpson, Brown and the athletic Mark Blicavs have all enjoyed strong pre-seasons in an encouraging sign for the Cats leading into Round One.

Simpson is happy for the competition. “It was great to see the big man (McIntosh) back, Mitch Brown too,” he said after the match.